Transporting elongated objects like skis or fishing poles in a car or van presents a particular problem even when there is room in the vehicle, typically between bucket seats, for the objects. Not only are these objects frequently wet and/or dirty, but they represent a considerable encumbrance to the passengers of the vehicle. In an accident they can fly about in the vehicle and present a considerable safety hazard.
Thus German patent 3,738,931 of W. Trutter describes a apparatus where a central section of the back seat is provided with a storage apparatus comprised of a basically upright annular frame to which is attached the open end of an elongated bag. The bag is normally folded up in a wad and fits in a box-like container behind a normally closed cover. For use, the cover is flopped down forward and the container is removed from the back so that the bag can be extended forward, normally right between the front seats. Then the skis or the like can be inserted into the bag from the rear via the trunk or hatch back so that they are fairly well contained in the bag. The vehicle passengers are thus protected against direct contact with the skis and the skis are contained so that in a violent maneuver or accident they will stay in place. Such a apparatus is virtually impossible, however, to retrofit to a vehicle or move from one vehicle to another.
Another such apparatus is described in German patent 3,901,354 of E. Butz. It comprises an annular frame that is stored in a horizontal position under the rear-window deck between the back vehicle seats, and that can be pivoted down into a vertical position. A bag has its mouth attached to the frame so that when it is vertical the bag can be pulled out and skis or the like can be inserted from the trunk into the bag as described above. This apparatus is also vehicle-specific and does not readily lend itself to installation as a retrofit.